I didn’t recognize her. Her blond hair seemed three shades lighter than I had remembered it being—the result of it being clean. Her skin was clear, not dull or pale. Yes, I could see that she was still sick, but her skin was smooth and there was some color in her cheeks.
Even when my mom and I had lived in one of our many temporary apartments, we rarely had hot water. If we did, we couldn't afford shampoo, conditioner or body wash to clean ourselves properly. A momentary flash of pain sliced through me when I thought of my mom, but I chased it away, and entered the huge bedroom.
And I stood there. I was no longer tired, but I had no idea what to do. Lexi had shown me how to use the television, but I had no interest in watching it.
Wrapping my arms around my chest, I found myself gravitating to the large window that overlooked the river. I pulled back the heavy curtains. My jaw hit the floor as I was presented with a perfectly clear night. It had rained almost every day for as long as I could remember, but now that I had a roof over my head, the weather was clear and dry. I laughed a humorless laugh to myself.
Typical.
I sat on the wide ledge and stared at the reflection of the bright silver moon glistening on the still river. I sighed, thinking that it looked like an oil painting, before my eyes next drifted to the pool house across the huge yard. As I gazed upon the building my stomach flipped, imagining who was inside.
As if I could still feel his touch, I lifted my hand and bought it to my chest. I thought of his face and his voice. That voice. I always listened to voices. Most people I had ever known would look at eyes, lips or other facial features. But being deaf as a child prompted a fascination with voices. I believed I could tell a lot about a person just by listening to their tone and inflection. Or maybe I was just fascinated because I chose not to speak. Maybe I was fascinated with voices because I hated mine so much. Because I’d been picked apart and cruelly ridiculed for my voice, so much so that it almost broke me. Broken over something I couldn’t control.
I dropped my hand from my chest before more bad memories surfaced, before her voice struck my heart. I itched to write, to express my thoughts and feelings in words, on paper.
I looked around the room and remembered that Lexi said she had washed my clothes, and put my things in the closet. I walked to the closet, and there on a shelf, were my worn and worthless clothes. My pen and pad of paper were lying beside them. I reached forward to pull out my leather jacket and found the back zipped pocket I was looking for. I exhaled in relief when my hand felt the string of old wooden beads and the old picture. When I dropped my leather jacket I stared down at the rosary I’d kept from the wallet I had stolen.
Levi Carillo’s wallet.
Shame swept through me. I had stolen his wallet, a fact I was sure he knew. Yet he had still helped me. He hadn’t held it against me, quite the opposite.
I followed my feet to the large window, clutching the rosary and picture in my hand. I wondered what it meant to him.
He deserved it to be returned.
I stood, eyes fixed on the pool house, until I decided to hand them back now. I grabbed the new Ugg boots Lexi had bought me, and slipped them onto my feet. Making sure my hearing aid was firmly fixed in place, I snuck out of my room, down the stairs, and out into the yard from the kitchen doors. As the night wind wrapped around me I immediately felt a chill ripple down my spine. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I ran across the yard to the pool house. Though the lights were off, I silently tried the doorknob and, to my relief, it opened.
I was used to sneaking around; years of practice stealing food and money served me well. I slipped in and quickly closed the door. A pool house, I thought, taken aback by its sheer size. This pool house was a typical family’s house in its own right.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, they landed on a huge bed in the center. My heart fired in my chest. Levi. Levi, asleep in the middle of the bed, a sheet covering his lower half. His broad muscled back was bare.
I remained transfixed on his naked top half, and nerves began to accost my body. I could hear my own breathing. It sounded like thunder in my ear. And seeing Levi’s solid back, triggered an instant replay of his deep southern drawl whispering my name.
I wasn’t exactly sure how long I stayed at the door trying to gather my wits. But when the rosary’s chain began to slip from my grasp, I pushed myself forward. I walked as quietly as possible to the edge of the bed. I tried to keep my focus straight ahead, but my curiosity about this boy forced my eyes to dip and study him up close.